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Analyzing Articles on Military Reintegration

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Analyzing Articles on Military Reintegration

Articles

The articles “The Impact of Family Stressors and Resources on Military Spouse’s Perception of Post-Deployment Reunion Stress” authored by and “Finding Their Way Back In: Family Reintegration Following Guard Deployment,” authored by Mallonee et al. and Messecar, respectively address key issues influencing the outcomes of reintegration of military families. Employing different research methods, the research articles utilize samples of military service members and their families to explore subjective deployment and post-deployment reunion experiences of military families. The findings of the articles have important implications for the reintegration policies and practices of clinical workers dealing with military-affiliated families.

Key Concepts and Findings

Mallonee et al. (2020) investigated the influence of various family stressors on the perception of stressful reunions among military service members and their spouses. The findings highlighted the major factors predisposing to or protecting against reunion stress. Among spouses of service members, the greatest contributors to the problematic reunion were perceived health changes, poor general mental well-being, perceived problematic communication during military deployment, and financial issues. Impaired physical and mental well-being and high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were also associated with greater reunion difficulty. Conversely, the personal growth of the spouse during deployment predicted a less problematic reunion. Mallonee et al. (2020) also found associations between reduced levels of reunion stress and the perception of adequate communication, and the availability of social support.

Similarly, Messecar (2017) explored the perceptions of post-deployment experiences among service members who served on the national guard and their households, focusing on the causes and problematic conditions associated with reintegration. Their study emphasized the role of the re-establishment of family and social connections as the core activity during reintegration. Findings indicated that only a few servicemen understand the adjustments required during the reintegration phase, and most consider reintegration the most challenging aspect of the post-deployment period. The article highlights the major conditions that influence the outcomes of reintegration, including the preparation for military deployment, the duration and type of deployment, the nature of communication during deployment, and knowledge of the impact of deployment on family functioning.

Importance in Clinical Practice

The findings and key concepts of these articles have important implications for clinical work with military families. Mallonee et al. (2020) underscore the significance of robust mental health interventions during the post-deployment period in order to reduce the impact of the unmet need for mental health on reintegration. Their study also indicates the need to implement measures to educate and counsel service members and their families on the impact of deployment stress and communication on the well-being of the family. Additionally, counselors can provide ongoing psychosocial support for spouses and families of service members during deployment. During such interventions, an assessment of psychological health should be offered to identify and address emotional disturbances that may potentially imperil reintegration. In light of the alleviating impact of social support on reunion stress, interventions should include the creation of opportunities for continued social engagement for families of service members during deployment. These findings also have implications for the training and competencies of clinical workers.

Similarly, Messecar (2017) identifies key considerations that should inform the planning and implementation of interventions to enhance the uneventful reintegration of military families. According to the study, prolonged deployment or frequent deployment in rapid succession encourages the entrenchment of strategies for coping with stress that are effective in the deployment setting but maladaptive in the home setting. This finding indicates the need for psychoeducation and coaching of service members on effective coping strategies before and during deployment. Aggressive mitigation of stress during prolonged deployment through multiple strategies that include pre-and post-exposure psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy can also be utilized to reduce the impact of stress related to combat trauma. Messecar (2017) further emphasizes the need for robust pre-deployment psychological preparation for service members and their families as an adjunct to other forms of preparedness, such as financial interventions.

Similarities and Differences

Both articles underscore the significance of the quality of social and family relations on the post-deployment well-being of service members and their families. The studies highlight the impact of the quality of family communication during deployment on the outcomes of reintegration, indicating the importance of ongoing family contact between service members and their families in uneventful reunions. Both articles also stress the importance of pre-deployment interventions such as psychoeducation and counseling of service members and their households as components of the reintegration process. According to Mallonee et al. (2020) and Messecar (2017), education of military families to increase their awareness of the impact of deployment and family separation on family functioning and dynamics mitigates the negative influence of deployment on family well-being.

However, While Mallonee et al. (2020) directly correlate stressful communication with stressful reintegration, Messecar (2017) highlights the core aspects of family communication that influence reintegration, including modality of communication such as instant messaging and contact as opposed to actual engagement. Furthermore, Messecar (2017) additionally indicates the significance of deployment characteristics, such as the type and duration of deployment, when planning the reintegration of service members. Notably, Mallonee et al. (2020) also cite the mental and physical health of service members and their spouses as crucial determinants of reunion success, an aspect not captured by Messecar (2017). Finally, the study also stresses the role of social support for spouses and families of service members during deployment and reintegration in increasing the chances of a successful reunion of military families.

Research Methods
The study conducted by Mallonee et al. (2020) utilized the correlational cross-sectional research design. The researchers analyzed survey-based data obtained from a representative sample of service members. The study sample consisted of 1558 dyads of service members and their families. This large sample size increases the study’s external validity, making the findings highly generalizable to the larger population of military families. Additionally, besides recruiting participants with 2 to 5 years of experience in active military duty, the study participants were recruited through a random sampling method, factors that enhance the study’s internal validity and the credibility of its findings. Nevertheless, since the study utilized a non-experimental (cross-sectional) design, an experimental investigation may be required to confirm its findings.

Similarly, Messecar (2017) utilized a qualitative descriptive design. The research combined different qualitative research methods, including in-depth in-person interviews and focus groups, to collect data on the perceptions of participants regarding their reintegration experiences. Therefore, an important strength of this study is the use of narrative data, which increases the accuracy of the findings as the true constructions of their reintegration experiences. The study also utilized data triangulation involving sourcing data from interviews of individual service members and couples, and discussions involving focus groups (Messecar, 2017). Data triangulation conceivably increases the credibility of the findings and conclusions of the study. Furthermore, the study utilized multiple reviewers and research consultants who ascertained the accuracy of aspects of data analysis, such as coding consistency. However, the study’s major limitation is the use of a retrospective data collection method since participants were interviewed about their past experiences rather than their current situations. However, this weakness may not imperil the accuracy of the findings since the responses of the participants represent their present understanding of their previous reintegration experiences.

Diversity Issues

The study sample in the Mallonee et al. (2020) study included 1477 (95%) male participants and only 81 (5%) female participants. As such, although the findings may be generalized to the larger population of male service members and their families, they may not reflect the experiences and perceptions of female service members. Additionally, White Non-Hispanics constituted the majority (83%) of the study sample, while the minority ethnoracial groups, including Blacks, Native Americans, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics, were underrepresented (Mallonee et al., 2020). Furthermore, the majority of the participant dyads consisted of heterosexual military couples. Although this disproportionate representation reflects the demographic characteristics of the general population of servicemen, they may have implications on the applicability of the findings of the study.

Imaginably, the deployment and reintegration experiences of military families belonging to ethnoracial minority communities may be additionally influenced by the socio-cultural and economic factors of the groups. Obviously, more intensive interventions such as frequent psychotherapy and rigorous pre-deployment psychoeducation may be required for families with intersecting risk factors for family dysfunction, such as low socio-economic status and ethnoracial minority status. Further research utilizing more representative samples based on gender, ethnicity, race, and sexual orientation may be required. Messecar (2017) did not capture aspects of diversity, such as race and gender, in the study.

Macro Context

The findings of these studies have implications for the planning and implementation of interventions to facilitate the reintegration of military families at the population level. Policy changes are required to include mandatory pre-deployment counseling and psychoeducation of service members and their families in the pre-deployment preparation package. Additional budgetary commitments may be required to fund pre-deployment educational and counseling programs for service members and their families. Policy commitments may also be required to include knowledge of military reintegration conditions and problems, and mitigation measures, in the core competencies of counselors, clinical workers, and other providers dealing with military-affiliated families. Accordingly, additional funding may be required to finance professional development programs for marriage and family counselors, to impart competencies in the care of service members and their families. Additionally, a policy initiative requiring unit leaders to create opportunities for social participation for families of service members should be implemented. Quality assurance measures may be required to ensure that military units are well-equipped to support the psychosocial needs of military families.

Interesting Aspect

An aspect of the articles that was most interesting is the variable impact of the quality of family communication on reintegration success. The author clarifies that family communication may be both beneficial and deleterious. On the one hand, it mitigates the stress related to family separation. On the other hand, active communication during deployment may elicit distress if service members or their families discover problems at home or in combat respectively that they cannot address. The unrealizable need to protect one another during separation may precipitate or worsen distress and eventually interfere with reintegration. As such, while attending to military-affiliated families, I should extend the focus of psychoeducation and counseling beyond merely promoting family contact to address aspects of communication such as positive engagement and emotional intelligence.

References

Mallonee, S., Riggs, D., & Stander, V. (2020). The impact of family stressors and resources on military spouse’s perception of post-deployment reunion stress. Military Psychology, 32(6), 369-379.

Messecar, D. C. (2017). Finding their way back in: Family reintegration following guard deployment. Military medicine, 182(suppl_1), 266-273.

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Question 

Analyzing Articles on Military Reintegration

SOWK 640

Assignment 1: Articles Analyses Instructions and

Grading Scale  (Worth 25% of Final Grade)

Select and critically analyze two scholarly articles on the same topic related to clinical work with military affiliated families.  For example, two articles on the issues like deployment, transition, reintegration/readjustment, spouse employment, caregiving, military child education, etc…and their impact military families, couples, or children. Write a four (4) to six (6) page paper (not including the title or reference pages) of your analysis. The articles should be from scholarly sources such as peer-reviewed journals, not articles from newspapers or popular magazines or media outlets. The paper should be double-spaced with 12-point Times New Roman font.

Content Requirements and Grading Rubric

  1. Select two scholarly articles. The articles should be on the same or a very similar topic and from peer reviewed academic journals. (5 pts)
  2. Summarize the key concepts: Explain 2-3 key points the author(s) share about working with military affiliated families. (10 pts)
  3. Explain why the articles are useful to the field of clinical practice with military affiliated families. What specific information would you want a clinician to know for their clinical practice with these families? (Consider assessment, treatment, and/or prevention) (10 pts).
  4. Integrate the analysis of the research by highlighting similarities and differences between findings and/or concepts in the articles. (10 pts)
  5. Evaluate the research method (i.e. types of research methods used, sampling methods used, unbiased analysis, objective presentation of information…) and their strengths and weaknesses. (10 pts)
  6. Discuss how the information in the articles might be applied differently related to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and/or other diversity issues in the context of clinical practice with military affiliated families. (10 pts)

    Analyzing Articles on Military Reintegration

  7. Discuss how the information in the articles fit into the macro context related to military affiliated families. For example, when considering applying the information on a large scale what impact might this have on military family policy or budgeting? (10 pts)
  8. Discuss what you found most interesting. What aspect of the articles did you personally find the most interesting or useful for your work with military affiliated families? (5 pts)

Grading Scale (70% = 70 points)

Writing Requirements

  1. Written to graduate level standards of writing, including a very brief introduction and conclusion.
  2. Writing is clear and mechanically sound.
  3. Grammar, structure, spelling and punctuation are correct.
  4. Sentences are well-structured, complete, clear and concise.

Grading Scale (20% = 20 points)

Administration Requirements (10% = 10 points)

  1. Completed on time. Please proof read your paper before submitting.
  2. Paper is within the required page range and conforms to other format instructions. Times New Roman 12 point font, double spacing, and correct headings are used.
  3. Upload a copy of the articles with your written submission.
  4. Citations are in accordance with APA requirements. Please do not over rely on quotes, paraphrase instead.
  5. Adhered to additional turn instructions.

Points will be deducted for failing to meet these requirements.

____ of 70 points Content

____ of 20 points Writing

____ of 10 points Administration

____ of 100 points Final Grade

Due: Unit 4

Submit the paper in the Assessment area for Assignment #1. Late submissions without prior permission from the instructor will have 5 points deducted for each day late. Extensions are only granted under extreme circumstances and are at the instructor’s discretion.

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